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April 10, 2015

3 Examples of Light in the Darkness

Any source
of illumination can dispel darkness. The narrow beam from a flashlight is most
visible in the shadows; we don’t notice it so much in the daytime. Well, God’s
strength, his love and light, is most evident in our gloom and weakness. Joyce
Meyer says our neediness is God’s open door to help.

The people
most likely to rely on their own fallible power are the least likely to receive
His help. This is why “successful” people don’t always remain prosperous. On
the other hand, individuals who trust in
God may acquire support during their most murky times.

John Newton

I mentioned
John Newton, the lyricist of the hymn, Amazing Grace, in an earlier blog
post. He dealt with being forced
into the British navy, enslavement, and almost being drowned at sea. This man
of great faith knew there was no human way to crawl out of his pit of despair;
he leaned on his Creator.

Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

This
prominent Roman Catholic nun was born in present-day Macedonia. Yet, she spent
the majority of her life serving the poorest of the poor in India, particularly
Calcutta. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and founded the
Missionaries of Charity.Yet, the
inhuman conditions in the slums of India caused her to
question her faith for a time.

Various sources
say she sank temporarily into depression. Did Mother Teresa remain in the
almost tangible spiritual murkiness? No! She pushed through! In 2003, this
selfless woman was beatified as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, the first step to
being recognized as a saint.

Me

I am
certainly not comparing myself to the two prominent figures mentioned above.However, I would like to address one particularly
traumatic time in my life: I wrote a guest
blog detailing some of the challenges leading up to the birth of my son. My
trials included the following:

Pneumonia

Uncaring hospital staff

Severe
claustrophobia

Panic
attacks

Paralysis of
my legs for about five hours (because I was overmedicated)

An emergency
Caesarian Section

I have never been more filled with panic,
misery, and despair. Truly, I saw no resolution forthcoming. The only way I finally
climbed out of the literal pit of destruction was to rely on God. Step by step,
I ascended into the full brightness of His love and care. I followed the light,
no matter how dim at first.

My Conclusion

Hope is most
needed in times of distress, not times of joy. Mother Teresa, John Newton, and
many others teach us God strengthens us when we’re at our lowest. This is great
news for those of us who are not “prosperous” as the world defines the term.